“There was a time I thought I’d never see the sun again,” said author Ray Hinton. “I really believe my mother prepared me, and she always told me to keep the faith. I worked really hard and tried to make a book that would inspire people to do better, learn how to forgive one another and move on. What happened to me, I don’t ever want to happen to anyone else. I’m just trying to be a little tiny light in God’s world.”readmoreremove

Our #FridayReads picks are all the excellent nonfiction titles available this month!

THE SUN DOES SHINE: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row by Anthony Ray Hinton, with an introduction by Bryan StevensonAlso available in audioTwo starred reviews! A powerful, revealing story of hope, love, justice, and the power of reading by a man who spent 30 years on death row for a crime he didn’t commit. “His memoir…is a troubling, moving, and ultimately exalting journey…. With a huge print run, Hinton’s incredible story and social-justice star Stevenson, who wrote the foreword, will draw major attention.” — Booklist, starred review

CAMP AUSTEN: My Life as an Accidental Jane Austen Superfan by Ted Scheinman
The son of a devoted Jane Austen scholar, Scheinman was determined to leave his mother’s world behind, yet nonetheless found himself in grad school organizing the first ever UNC-Chapel Hill Jane Austen Summer Camp, a weekend-long event that’s a hybrid of academic conference and superfan extravaganza. “Scheinman is a wonderful guide to the world of Austen, and this honest and thoughtful discussion of the role Austen’s works have played in his family will delight any Janeite.” — Booklist

RAW: My Journey Into the Wu-Tang by Lamont “U-God” Hawkins
The explosive, never-before-told story behind the historic rise of the Wu-Tang Clan, as told by one of its founding members, Lamont “U-God” Hawkins. “Hawkins is a wonderful storyteller who spares no detail, and his willingness to share his wisdom in nonsaccharine terms yields an inspirational coming-of-age story.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

What would you do if you were sent to death row for a crime you didn’t commit? What would you do if you were finally exonerated and released 30 years later?

This happened to Anthony Ray Hinton, who in 1985, was arrested and charged with two counts of capital murder in Alabama. An incompetent defense attorney and a different system of justice for a poor black man in the South put Hinton on Death Row at Holman State Prison, until civil rights attorney and bestselling author of JUST MERCY, Bryan Stevenson, helped Hinton win his release in 2015.

“His memoir…is a troubling, moving, and ultimately exalting journey…. With a huge print run, Hinton’s incredible story and social-justice star Stevenson, who wrote the foreword, will draw major attention.” — Booklist, starred review

“Intense… Hinton’s life is one of inspiration, which he wonderfully relays here in bitingly honest prose.” — Publishers Weekly, starred reviewreadmoreremove

Celebrate Black History Month with these new and forthcoming books:

WHEN THEY CALL YOU A TERRORIST: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors & asha bandele, with a foreword by Angela DavisAlso available in audioA Most Anticipated Book of 2018 with three starred reviews! The emotional and powerful story about the founding of the Black Lives Matter movement. “Khan-Cullors’s prose is dynamic; a rhythmic call to action that deftly illustrates the impact of living in a place that systematically demeans black personhood through neglect and aggressively racist state policy. This searing, timely look into a contemporary movement from one of its crucial leading voices belongs in all collections.” — Library Journal, starred review

WHY I’M NO LONGER TALKING TO WHITE PEOPLE ABOUT RACE by Reni Eddo-Lodge
The London-based journalist and black feminist expands on her blog piece about her deep-seated frustration with the way discussions of race and racism are constantly shut down by those who aren’t affected by it. “A provocative read for anyone interested in race, politics, social history, and the lives of people of color; a must-read that expertly reflects the challenges of addressing structural racism.” — Library Journal, starred review

MINORITY LEADER: How to Lead from the Outside and Make Real Change by Stacey AbramsAlso available in audio
The first black female governor in the U.S. combines her memoir with real-world advice for women and people of color, offering hard-won insights for navigating worlds that, until now, were largely the territory of white men alone. “Not just local appeal; there are audiences other there that could really, really benefit from this book.” — Library Journal, pre-pub alert

RAW: My Journey Into the Wu-Tang by Lamont “U-God” Hawkins
The explosive, never-before-told story behind the historic rise of the Wu-Tang Clan, as told by one of its founding members, Lamont “U-God” Hawkins. “Hawkins is a wonderful storyteller who spares no detail, and his willingness to share his wisdom in nonsaccharine terms yields an inspirational coming-of-age story. ” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

THE SUN DOES SHINE: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row by Anthony Ray Hinton, with an introduction by Bryan StevensonAlso available in audio
A powerful, revealing story of hope, love, justice, and the power of reading by a man who spent 30 years on death row for a crime he didn’t commit. “His memoir…is a troubling, moving, and ultimately exalting journey…. With a huge print run, Hinton’s incredible story and social-justice star Stevenson, who wrote the foreword, will draw major attention.” — Booklist, starred review